北京雾霾再次来袭,今天我是带着口罩来上班的。与其抱怨雾霾的可恶,还不如看看今天的BBC新闻,学习一些可以用在托福写作中的高级表达。
以下英文内容摘自12月19日(今早)的BBC新闻
【1】The Chinese capital will see hazardous smog from Saturday until Tuesday, the official meteorological [气象的] service said.
解析:hazardous smog是“危险的雾霾”,hazardous可看作dangerous的升级版。
【2】Beijing authorities [北京当局] have advised residents to avoid outdoor activity and for schools to stop classes.
解析:have advised residents to是“建议市民”。在托福独立写作中,很多考生都喜欢写suggest somebody to do something,这是不对的。应该是advise somebody to do something。
【3】The red alert - the highest of a four-level alert system instituted [制定] two years ago - also triggers restrictions on vehicle use, factories and construction work.
解析:triggers restrictions on vehicle use, factories and construction work是“使政府出台了车辆限行制度,出台了限制工厂生产以及限制建筑工程进度的制度”。首先,trigger可看作cause的升级版。其次,这个英译汉一定要注意,不能生硬地翻译为“引发了在车辆使用,工厂和建筑工作上的限制”。相反,适当地增减与重复(中文不怕重复)一些词汇可使中文翻译变得得体而不生硬。
【4】The government has promised to take action to address often dangerous levels of pollution.
解析:take action to address是“采取措施以应对”,可看作do something to deal with的升级版。
【5】The government is coming under increasing pressure to deal with the problem.
解析:coming under increasing pressure是托福独立写作开头段的常用语言点,因为很多考生喜欢写“人们的压力越来越大”,那就是People are coming under increasing pressure。
【6】Long-term exposure to high levels of dangerous particulate [粒子] matter in smog - PM2.5 - has been linked to lung damage and respiratory illnesses.
解析:这句话的意思是“人如果长时间暴露在雾霾里,其中高浓度的危险颗粒物质(也即PM2.5)就可能导致肺部受损或使人患上呼吸道疾病,这是有一定科学依据的。”这句话的has been linked to很难翻译,请大家仔细体会。这句话有高级英语的鲜明特征——名词结构,但翻回汉语的时候,就要加上人等主语,否则显得生硬。
【7】Beijing resident Cheng Xianke expressed concern for the health of the elderly and children. He told Reuters: "For us who commute to work [乘车上下班] it's not so bad but still I'm very concerned about the pollution. I think the government needs to put more effort into solving this."
解析:expressed concerned for可看作were worried about的升级版;the elderly是old people的委婉说法;put more effort into solving this可看作do something more to solve this的升级版。
【8】Coal-powered industries and heating systems - in heavy use during the cold Beijing winter - are major contributors to the smog.
解析:are major contributors to the smog可看作have mainly caused the smog。
【9】China still depends on coal for more than 60% of its power, despite big investments in renewable energy sources.
解析:despite big investments in renewable energy sources可看作although it (China) has invested a lot in renewable energy sources的升级版,因为高级英语倾向于使用介词短语与分词,这样显得更简单,而且不用考虑时态。如果大家想写出高质量的托福独立作文,不妨注意一下这一点。
此文章转自谢昕呈老师的微信公众平台,微信公众号为 xiexinchengsteven
教师简介:
谢昕呈,北京新东方北美项目部优秀教师,教授托福写作、托福口语。
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(编辑:Joe)